Of Demons and Darkness
by BuddhaConfucius
Summary: What if something else was sealed away into young Naruto's body on the day of the Kyuubi attack? Something ancient, something evil, something... dark? Naruto/The Darkness crossover. Disclaimer: I do NOT own either The Darkness comic or game or Naruto.
1. Prologue

I am the Devil, the Devil I am

_I am the Devil, the Devil I am_

_And I wait for the coming of an innocent man._

_Be he young or be he old,_

_Be his pockets full of gold,_

_Be he happy or rich or wise,_

_Be the ocean as blue as his eyes,_

_I'll wait for his coming at the midnight hour,_

_I'll pickle his soul and make it sour, _

_For once that innocent heart I see,_

_That innocent man belongs to me._

-The Darkness

"What the hell?"-Talking

'Why's this guy's name BuddhaConfucius?'-Thinking

"**I will devour you!"-**Demon/Summon Talking

'**Hmm. I think that human gave me indigestion.'-**Demon/Summon thinking

"_**I will tear your mind!"-**_Darkness Talking

'_**I feel pretty, oh so pretty'-**_Darkness Thinking

_Flashbacky! -_Flashback.

Of Demons and Darkness

Chapter One: Two, for the price of one!

** October 10: The day of the Kyuubi attack**

"Hokage-sama, the Kyuubi is nearly to the gate!" The bloodied chunnin yelled as he burst into the office of the fourth Hokage. Said leader was currently bent over a scroll, furiously reading and jotting things down around a complex seal. Looking up, he sighed. It was now or never. "Alright. I'm ready."

The Hokage stood, his white robe sweeping the floor as he pushed back the chair from his desk, scroll in hand. The mess of blonde hair atop his head rustled as he shook himself awake, exhaustion evident on his face. "_**Minato…" **_He ignored the voice. He'd been living with it since his 21st birthday. He could deal with it for a while more. Forgoing the door, Minato opened the window and jumped into the cool night air, summoning the toad boss, Gamabunta as he fell. "_**He's almost here Minato. Your **_**son! **_**Hahahehehe…" **_The voice spoke again, emphasizing the last word, implying what the fire shadow already knew: time was short. "To the hospital Gamabunta. And hurry." A wave of pain washed through his mind. "Hurry."

It took absolutely no time for the giant toad to cross the village to the hospital, but to Minato, it felt like an eternity. Upon arrival, the Hokage jumped from Gamabunta's head and rushed through the doorway, heading for his wife's room. The scent of painkillers, antibiotics and blood was thick in the air, and the wails and cries of the air cut the air like a knife in the back. Ignoring them, Minato reached the room and entered, expecting to see his wife.

She was gone.

Instead, Sarutobi sat in a chair, holding a bundle of blankets in his arms. He looked up at Arashi with a sad smile. "Is that…?" "Yes, Minato. This is your son." Slowly, the Hokage stepped forward and took the baby boy in his arms. "_**Yessss." **_"And my wife?" Minato asked, gritting his teeth against another wave of pain. Sarutobi sighed. "I'm sorry Minato. She… she passed away in childbirth. She only had enough time to name your son: his name is Naruto." Slowly, Minato smiled. "Naruto," he said, testing the word. "_**Yesss, Naruto. Hehehehehe." **_

Exhaustion hit again, and Minato shook his blonde head violently, ignoring it. "There's no time. Come on, help me with this," he spoke as he placed the baby Naruto on a table, and unrolled the scroll he had brought along, setting out a pot of ink with several brushes beside it. "Is that…?" "Yes, this is my method for sealing the Kyuubi. Now pick up one of those brushes and lets finish this." The two worked in silence for several minutes as they copied the complex symbols and shapes from the parchment to the babe's navel, working quickly but cautiously. Finally, it was complete.

With tender love and care, Minato picked up his son and rewrapped him in the blankets. As he turned to leave, Sarutobi called out. "Wait! Minato, please reconsider. Don't sacrifice yourself. Let me. Your young, you have so much to live for. Think of yourself, think of the village, think of your son!" Minato turned. "Please." A slow, sad smile stretched its way across the fourth Hokage's face. "I'm sorry Old Man, but I have to do this." When Sarutobi opened his mouth to protest, Minato cut him off. "You wouldn't understand, and there's no time to explain. I'm sorry." And with that, he left.

"Hold it back! We have to hold it back until Lord Hokage arrives!" The cry of the Anbu was lost among the screams of pain and the sounds of different jutsu being preformed. The monstrous Kyuubi no Kitsune roared its outrage at the insignificant insects beneath it, swiping a paw across the lot of them. Though some managed to dodge, those too slow, injured or inexperienced were hit and burnt to ash by the demon's malevolent chakra.

"He's here! Lord Hokage is here! Fight it back! Keep it away from the Hokage!" This time, the cry was heard, and it was with renewed determination and hope that the shinobi of the leaf began to hurl jutsu. This time, the Kyuubi actually shied away, caught unawares by the sudden ferosity of its prey. Meanwhile, Gamabunta had landed some distance from the monstrous entity and ground to a halt.

"**Oi, brat! Whatever you're going to do, you better do it fast. I'm not sure that they," **he nodded his great head towards the shinobi, nearly flinging the Hokage into the abyss between the top of his skull and the ground,** "can hold it back much longer, and I sure as hell can't hold it off." **With a grunt of acknowledgement, the Hokage set to work, flying through hand seals at a rate almost impossible to follow. However, even at that rate, it would take some time to finish the long chain of seals required for the technique he had in mind.

"_**Better hurry up Minato. I've nearly transferred all of my essence to the boy, and then… Well, you know what happens then, don't you?" **_The voice was back, mocking him, reminding him of how short on time he was, how desperate the situation was. And with came a new wave of pain, like burning needles being plunged into his mind, and then viciously raked across the surface as a thousand kunai tore through his flesh. Minato gasped, and fumbled through the next few seals, losing precious seconds to the void. However, he mastered the pain, and renewed his pace.

The Kyuubi, as if sensing what was coming, turned its great head towards the Hokage, its eyes two gleaming portals into the pits of hell. With a challenging roar, the beast took off towards the great toad, intent on destroying them.

'Almost done.' Minato was now tearing through the hand seals at a breakneck pace, entering the final stages of the sealing technique. "Gamabunta, just hold it off for one more minute! It's all I need!" With a grim nod of his head, Gamabunta bounded forward, unsheathing his dagger as he did so. In mid-leap, he came upon the Kyuubi, and swung down with all his might.

The blow hardly made the beast flinch.

Growling in annoyance at the toad, the Kyuubi snapped at Gamabunta with its jaws. With a (not-so) graceful leap, Gamabunta managed to dodge the attack, only to be hit across the eye as the Kyuubi lashed out with its giant paw. Stunned, the toad boss stumbled back, and with a triumphant roar, the monster advanced upon its helpless prey.

And at that, exact same moment, Minato finished the jutsu.

"Hakke no fuuin shiki no jutsu!" Yelled Minato, as his hands formed together to create the last seal. The Kyuubi froze. Behind minato loomed the Shinigami, the death God, in all of its glory. With a skeletal hand, it reached through the Fourth's body and grasped on to the great Kyuubi. It was then that the Kyuubi no Kitsune began to struggle.

The beast spasmed as if shocked, its whole body writhing in agony as it howled and roared in a vain attempt to escape the grasp of death, a feat that no being, not even it, can accomplish. Slowly, the Shinigami withdrew its hand, dragging along with it a near translucent copy of the squirming fox: the Kyuubi's soul.

A great pain suddenly washed through Minato as the ancient being within him realized exactly what was happening. The pain was worse than all else he had felt that night: his eyes were being boiled, his skin flayed, his mind raped by formless demons with vicious, barbed claws. His innards turned to mush and felt as though they were being slowly torn apart and rearranged as part of some sick child's twisted game.

_**"NO! Cannot! Must not!" **_The creature within began to desperately send out its essence, transferring its being into Naruto, trying to escape the fate of its host as Minato's soul was torn from his body, bringing it along for the ride. The thing screamed in desperation and anger, sending wave after wave of intense pain through its vessels body. And all Minato did was smile.

"Not this time you don't. You're going to die, just like me, and just like every person you've used throughout you're ungodly existence. And you. Will. _Never_. Get. My. Son."

The unearthly scream of pure rage that echoed through his mind would have sent a normal man hurtling over the brink of insanity, but this man had grown used to the presence within: he was unperturbed. He closed his eyes in peace, as the last of his soul was taken, and finally, the dark entity within him disappeared.

'Wait.' Minato's eyes flew open in absolute horror as he realized that it was gone. The Darkness was gone!

The last thing Minato, the Yellow Flash, Fourth Hokage and defeater of the Kyuubi no Kitsune saw was the end of a thin trail of shadow as it disappeared within his only son. And then…

Darkness.

A/N: Well, that's the first chapter of "Of Demons and Darkness." I would have written more, to the first time the darkness awoke within young Naruto, but It's 2:11 in the morning, I have work to do, and it was such a good place to stop I couldn't resist. -. Anyway, for this story, I'd really appreciate a lot of feedback on my writing, any ideas you have for it, and any flaws you see. Also, I'll be taking a poll about where my readers (if I get any. I think I will. ;D.) Want the story to go. For example, I can't decide between Naruto going bad and utilizing the darkness to grow powerful and crush all in his path (im leaning towards this atm.) or having him try to destroy the darkness and rid himself of the curse. The story will stay the same regardless until I get to the Wave Ark, where Naruto's reaction to Haku's death will change depending on what ya'll want.

**Polls: (or general ideas are welcome if you don't wanna vote.)**

**Story line:**

**Dark powerful Naruto, utilizing the darkness and reveling in the general badassery**

**Good Naruto, trying to destroy the darkness with help of friends. (meh.)**

**Pairings:**

**Any pairings that you want (excluding yaoi and yuri. I don't do that ********) **

**Team:**

**Do you want Naruto to stay on team 7? Different team? You decide. **

**And any more things I want your opinion on, I'll ask. Anyway, that's all for now. Until Laterz, peace!**

**P.S. PLEASE REVIEW!! 3333 I will gives you a cookie :D **


	2. Early Awakenings

"What the hell

**A/N: Ok, a few quick things: This is based mainly off of the game 'The Darkness,' rather than the comic. Just thought I'd clear that one up straight away. Another thing: As some may have noticed, I did not have Minato die like he should have, since he should have died when his first son was conceived. I decided to tweak that. Call it creative license -. Anyway, I decided to make so that after his sons birth, the Darkness would begin to transfer its energies to the baby, slowly killing the host. These were those little waves of pain and exhaustion came from. Anyway, other than that, enjoy the chapter, and please review!**

P.S. ALSO, I AM LOOKING FOR A BETA READER WHO MIGHT READ MY CHAPTERS BEFORE I POST, AND GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRISISM. TELL ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.

0o0o0o0

"What the hell?"-Talking

'Why's this guy's name BuddhaConfucius?'-Thinking

"**I will devour you!"-**Demon/Summon Talking

'**Hmm. I think that human gave me indigestion.'-**Demon/Summon thinking

"_**I will tear your mind!"-**_Darkness Talking

'_**I feel pretty, oh so pretty'-**_Darkness Thinking

_Flashbacky! -_Flashback.

0o0o0o0

Of Demons and Darkness

Chapter Two: Early Awakening

**October 10: Six years after the Kyuubi attack**

"Kill him! Kill the Demon!" "You'll pay for what you did, you monster!" "That bastard killed my son! Make him pay!"

These and other calls followed close behind the now six-year-old Naruto as he ran as fast as his tiny legs could carry him, the blood pounding in his ears. 'Why?' He silently asked himself with tears flowing down his face. 'Why do they all hate me? Why do they all want me dead?'

A sizable mob of civilians, and even some elder shinobi, followed closely at Naruto's heels clutching all manner of weapons. They held kunai, shuriken, kitchen knives, shovels, pitchforks, and axes. All with one purpose in mind: to tear and maim a child.

This wasn't the first time this had happened. No, in fact, it had happened every year on this day, his birthday, since he was kicked out of the orphanage at age four, with several lesser, random incidents besides. However, none of the mad chases had ever been of this magnitude.

While normally it was a group of intoxicated villagers chancing him, usually with the intent of 'punishing the demon brat,' never before had they come with the desire to _kill, _nor had they ever been accompanied by shinobi. It seemed as though nearly half the village was chasing after him, howling for blood, while the other half sat enjoying the show.

Turning into a back alley he had used to escape in the past, Naruto put forth a final burst of speed to pull ahead of his pursuers, Naruto speed to the end of the alley and crouched down to slide through a window into the basement of an old abandoned warehouse. But the window wouldn't budge. 'No!' Naruto began to frantically shake the windowpane, despairing as he saw the nails driven around the edges that kept it shut tight. Abandoning the futile attempt to escape, he pivoted on his foot and took off, only to run into the wall of flesh that was the mob.

"Nowhere to run now you demon spawn." Grinned a particularly foul man, the smell of cheap sake and women drenching the air around him. "Please, just…just leave me alone. I've never done anything to deserve this. Never!" Wept the distraught Naruto sobs wracking his thin and malnourished body.

A woman stepped forward, here face deformed in its rage. "Haven't done anything? You haven't done anything?!" She shrieked, striking him across the face. "You killed my husband you bastard!" "N…no, I never…" She struck him again, and with a unified cry, the mob surged forward and encircled the boy, those in front striking and gauging with whatever it was they had on hand, while those behind yelled obscenities to Naruto, and encouragement to his tormentors.

The unfortunate six-year old curled up into as tight a ball as he could, head held in-between his legs. 'I've never done anything! I don't deserve this. I'm not the demon, they are! They're the monsters! I hate them! I hate them, I hate them, I hate them…' He continued his inner mantra, all the while crying in misery and yelling in pain as the villagers invented new ways in which to torture the hated Kyuubi. He had entirely missed the dark chuckle that came from the depths of his mind.

"Let me through, I'm Ambu!" The crowd gasp, and parted to the side as a man wearing the black suit and white mask of Konoha's elite hunter-nins. The one's that had circled around Naruto stepped slowly away, dropping their weapons as they did so.

'A…anbu?' Naruto's mind struggled to turn his head and stare at the Elite shinobi. 'Ojii-san said… Ojii-san said that the anbu were there to protect me, that…. That they would help me when he wasn't there to.' A bit of hope sparked as he watched the man draw closer and closer before kneeling down, going face to rat-mask with Naruto. "So," the anbu started. "Are you ready to die, demon?"

The crowd roared its delight as the anbu ran though a few quick, one-handed hand seals and touched Naruto's forehead. "Tsuihou tame yami no jutsu," he whispered into Naruto's ear. The boy collapsed, a look of absolute horror captured in his dead eyes.

"Now then," the anbu turned to face the cheering crowd and laughed. "WHO WANTS TO KILL A DEMON?"

He was met with thunderous applause

0o0o0o0

"W…where the hell am I?" Naruto now lie in a circle of light coming from a source far above. All around him hung an impenetrable darkness, as though night had been woven into a tapestry and hung in the air. "H…hello?" Nothing greeted him but the echo of his own voice. "Last I remember, I was… I was being…killed." Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, and he released a wail of despair. "The villagers were right! I am a demon! I died, and went to hell!"

"_**You aren't in hell, Naruto**_." A dark, guttural voice cooed from all around him_**. "At least, not yet. Heheheheh…" **_"Who was that? Where the hell are you?" Terrified, Naruto turned around frantically, eyes darting for a glimpse of the speaker.

_**"Who… am I? We shall save that knowledge for another day. What's really important, is **_**you,**_** Naruto." **_

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. No one had ever called him important before. "Me? I'm imported?"

_**"Of course you are! Poor, poor Naruto. Why do they treat you so badly?" **_"I don't know! They just do, and they won't tell me why! Was it something I did that I can't remember? Is it something my… my parents did? I just… I just don't know." Naruto wept quietly, drawing his knees and hugging them as he cried.

_**"Ignorant fools, aren't they? **_**They**_** are the demons, not you. No, not you sweet, innocent Naruto." **_Invisible arms gently caressed Naruto, unable to see them because his face was buried in his arms. His crying had stopped, but he did not look up.

The voice continued. _**"They are very cruel to you, aren't they, Naruto?" **_The barest of nods in response. _**"No one loves you, do they, Naruto?" **_Hesitantly, Naruto raised his head to regard the surrounding blackness. "Well, there's...there's Ojii-san…"

_**"Awww, you poor thing. He actual tricked you, didn't he Naruto? Tricked you into thinking he cares?" **_"Ojii-san _does _care! YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" All he got in return was a sad, airy sigh.

_**"No Naruto. The old man **_**pities **_**you. He doesn't care for you; he just feels that it's his job to make sure his villagers don't kill you. He is the Hokage, after all." **_Naruto considered this. It did make an awful lot of sense. If Ojii-san had really cared, he'd have helped him by now, wouldn't he have? And the people that Ojii-san promised would keep him safe instead ignored his peril. One even decided to join in!

Upon coming to the conclusion that no one, not even the kind old man that supposedly protected him, loved or cared for him in the slightest filled Naruto with a previously unknown emotion: _rage._ Anger and hate coursed through him, accompanied by no small portion of self-pity. 'They'll pay. I'll make them all pay!"

_**"Yesss, Naruto, yes! Give in to your hatred! Give in, and be avenged against those who have wronged you! Give in to the darkness of your soul!" **_

And then, the light went out.

0o0o0o0o0

Back in the real world, the mob was still beating Naruto. Or what had once been Naruto. Now it was just a bruised and bleeding sack of internally ruptured organs clinging to life by the grace of God. They had started cycling allowing those farther back in the throng to move up and have their turn in 'avenging' the deaths of all who died in the Kyuubi attack. All were cheering and jeering, and drinking, enjoying giving the punishment they felt was a long time coming.

None noticed the shadows gathering near the body.

The woman who had earlier struck Naruto stepped up, having completed a rotation of the crowd and getting another go. The masses cheered, and she bowed to them, before hefting a golf club and lining up Naruto's head for a shot. Many of the villagers started laughing, as she made a show of it, licking her finger and holding it up to test the wind, doing practice shots, lining it up just right. Then she brought back her arms, and swung with a cheery, 'fore!' as she did. No one noticed that the single street lamp at the mouth of the alley had shattered, and now lay dark.

The crowed sat strangely still, uncomprehending expressions glued to their faces. All of them were staring in silence at the woman whom had, moments before, encouraged them to laugh. No one was laughing now. Strangely enough, she had dropped her golf club and now hung staring unblinkingly at the wall.

Hung?

Yes, the woman was now suspended some feet from the ground. This was accomplished by a rather interesting arm impaling her through the chest. It wasn't a man's arm, certainly not. For one, it was far larger, easily stretching out to twenty-five feet. Another interesting feature was the black, carapace like skin that covered its surface, as well as the many spikes that protruded. However, the most interesting thing about it would have to be the 'business end' of the arm. A five foot long, mantis-like claw ended the arm, the inside curve of it containing a row of two inch long serrated spikes,

The appendage retracted, dropping the lifeless body of the woman on the ground. As she landed with a quite thump, the crowd took off screaming for the exit of the alley, tripping and running over each other in their panicked attempts to get away.

However, before any of them could reach the safety of the street, a gaping whole to the abyss opened up across their one exit. Many were caught up into its pull, and were torn screaming from whatever it was they had attempted to cling to, be it alive or dead.

The rest of the mob surged the other way backing up until they were far from the all-consuming mouth of the black hole.

In front of them stood Naruto. Not the bloody pulp he _should _have been after such a cruel beating. No, now he was something else entirely.

Before them stood the Darkness in all its glory. A mass of tentacles swayed back and forth around their host, convulsing and undulating with a will of their own. Two black, snake-like heads, one sprouting up from behind each shoulder, regarded the crowd almost _hungrily_, their 2 pairs of 3 glowing eyes piecing through those they gazed upon; their long, narrow, tattooed heads swung back and forth like a searching cobra; dark, thick saliva dripped from wide-grinning jaws filled to the brim with curved silver teeth. And the source of the Darkness?

Naruto, standing there, head tilted skyward, a manic grin nearly splitting his face in half. Solid pools of glowing yellow had replaced his once beautiful cerulean eyes, gazing unblinkingly towards the heavens.

"It's the demon! Its finally showed its true colors!" Yelled a particularly brave (or perhaps foolish) chunin. "C'mon, half of us are shinobi of the leaf! We can take this bastard! Kaiton, G-" The rather energetic man was cut off (quite literally) by another arm decapitating him, allowing his head to become better acquainted with the woman standing next to him. It was then that the panic had returned. Shinobi began to run or jump up the walls in an attempt to escape, only to be snatched from the air by an arm. The civilians attempt to climb on top of one another in an attempt to reach the windows of the buildings to either side, only for other panicked individuals to shove them out of the way so that they could try and escape. This, of course, made them easy pickings for the snake headed demons, which wandered at a leisurely pace through the crowd, maiming and killing as they went.

Soon, the alley was empty of all save the darkness and the bodies of the shinobi and civilians of Konoha. Looking around disdainfully at the mess, he turned to leave only to stumble and fall to the ground.

'_**Damn it! The host is still too weak, despite being a **__**Jinchuuriki. I suppose I'll have to wait a few more years. Still," **_The Darkness said with a smile as its eyes scanned the carnage, '_**It was nice to get out for a bit and…stretch my legs, hehehehe…'**_

_**"Now, what to do about cleaning up this worthless cattle?" **_He spat on the corpse of an old woman, face scrunched up in a look of disgust, as though he had just stepped in something nasty. "_**They aren't even worth the effort of killing them." **_With a wave of his hand, tiny sets of yellow could be seen in the darkness of the alley. Each set belonged to a demon, hidden in the shadows.

"_**All of you. Clean up this mess. Leave no trace behind." **_A symphony of delighted cries met the Darkness's demand, and the air was filled with the sounds of flesh tearing, clothes ripping, bones snapping and a healthy amount of chewing as the Darklings set about their work, allowing their master and its host to take their leave.

0o0o0o0

The following morning, Naruto groggily got up from his bed, and went about his daily routine. He took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, and fixed himself a breakfast of instant ramen. Then, he went outside and made his way to classes at the ninja academy to continue his first year of ninja training.

It was an average early morning.

He didn't remember a thing.

0o0o0o0

**A/N: Alright, that's the second chappie up and running. Again, coulda made it longer, but I wrote it in the past hour and wanted to post it know. The polls still stand, but people seem to agree that I need to get off my lazy ass and decide on my own .. Anyway, everything the darkness said to Naruto was, of course, it lying. It doesn't care about Naruto, Sarutobi really DOES love him, etc. etc. Its just being manipulative. Just clearing that up real quick**

**P.S. READ AND REVIEW!!**


	3. Kyuubi and the Bloodline

A/N: Yo, what up

A/N: Yo, what up. Sorry about the long update time, my hard drive was wiped on my computer, and it took a while to get this damn thing fixed. : (. And then…cough… I, um, forgot my password… Anyway, here's the third chapter Of Demons and Darkness.

P.S: Btw, still looking for someone to read my stuff before I post it on the site. If anyone is interested, just say so. K?

0o0o0o0

"What the hell?"-Talking

'Why's this guy's name BuddhaConfucius?'-Thinking

"**I will devour you!"-**Demon/Summon Talking

'**Hmm. I think that human gave me indigestion.'-**Demon/Summon thinking

"_**I will tear your mind!"-**_Darkness Talking

'_**I feel pretty, oh so pretty'-**_Darkness Thinking

_Flashbacky! -_Flashback.

0o0o0o0

Of Demons and Darkness

Chapter Three:

Six years later: Graduation Day

'It's…It's not fair.'

This was one of many depressing thoughts that traveled through a certain sun-kissed blonde's mind as he sat on a swing beside the Academy.

Alone.

He sat there, eyes down cast, wishing he couldn't hear the exited cries of the now genin and their parents. "Mom, I passed, I passed!" "I'm so proud of you son." "My little boy's become a ninja! I'm so exited!" They were so happy. So care free. So unlike him.

Words of praise were not all he heard. Even in a time of celebration, the villagers found time to make known their scorn of him.

"Hey, isn't that…" "Yeah. That's him. The only one who failed." "Serves him right." "Can you imagine if they let someone like that become a shinobi?" Naruto adjusted his goggles, the only gift he had ever received, to cover up his eyes, hiding his tears.

"Loser…" "Don't even go there."

Just another day in the life…

0o0o0o0

"Naruto" The Kyuubi-container turned. "Mizuki-sensei! What are you doing here?" Mizuki smiled. "I just wanted to talk." "Uh, alright, I guess."

The two sat together on a balcony, staring out towards the city. They sat in silence for some time before Mizuki spoke. "You know… Iruka isn't that bad of a guy." Naruto remained silent. Mizuki continued unhindered. "I mean, he's only so hard on you because, well... you remind him of himself." Naruto looked across to his sensei.

"He was an orphan to you know. So he treats you so rough because he thinks he's helping you grow strong." The blonde sighed and turned away. "Yea but… I really wanted to pass."

Mizuki grinned, a malicious glint in his eye. 'This is almost _too_ easy.' "Well, there is a way you could… no…" "What is it Mizuki-sensei? There's a way I can what?" "Well," said Mizuki, "There is a secret test that could let you pass… but it's too risky. Don't worry about it. You can just wait until next graduation day." "NO!" Cried Naruto. "C'mon Mizuki-sensei, tell me the test!" The silver-haired traitor chuckled. 'Too easy.'

0o0o0o0

Several hours later, in the forest outside Konoha.

"Gotcha!"

An exhausted Naruto looked up from his spot on the ground, jumping up upon seeing Iruka.

"Hey Iruka-sensei! I found you!" "No you idiot! I found you!" Naruto just chuckled and shyly scratched the back of his head. "Heh, I guess you did get me. You were fast too. Too bad… I've only memorized one of the techniques." Naruto opened his eyes and grinned happily. "Wait till you see! If I show you that I've mastered these techniques, you'll have to let me graduate!"

Iruka narrowed his eyes in suspicion and took a hesitant step forward, placing his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto…" "Yea?" "What's up with that scroll on your back?"

"What, this?" asked Naruto, gesturing to the large scroll on his back. Mizuki-sensei told me about it, and this place! He said that if I showed you that I mastered some of the techniques, you'd let me be a shinobi!"

Iruka eyes widened in shock and realization. 'Mizuki!'

As if on cue, a rain of kunai sailed forth from the trees. With reflexes somewhat dulled fro years of teaching off of the active duty list, Iruka managed to fling Naruto out of his way, but failed to avoid the kunai himself. Cut and impaled in several places, he looked up to lay eyes attacker.

Mizuki glared down at him, a smug smirk gracing his features. He turned his head to regard Naruto. "The scroll, Naruto. Give it to me."

"Wh…what's going on? Iruka-sensei?" Naruto's head acted as if on a swivel, turning side to side to regard each of his instructors in turn. "Run Naruto! Don't let him get the scroll! Protect it with you're very life! It contains techniques… knowledge forbidden for use by the Hokage's themselves!"

Naruto stood and took a slow step fact, contemplating weather to run or not. Before he had a chance to make up his mind, however, Mizuki spoke. "Naruto, don't bother. Besides, even if you read it, it would still be meaningless. I can show you what it means!"

"Shut up you fool!"

The traitorous chunin ignored Iruka. "You know what happened when the Kyuubi attacked twelve years ago? What _really _happened?" Without receiving a response he continued. "Since that day, the people of Konoha have been bound by a strict decree."

"I don't remember any decree," said Naruto. "Hehehehe, you wouldn't. Part of that decree is that everyone would know of it, except _you."_

Naruto blinked in disbelief. "Except me? Why not me? What are you talking about!?" Naruto's voice rose to a feverish pitch, desperate to know why he, and only he, would be left out of this 'decree'.

Mizuki didn't answer, however. He only laughed, a low chuckle to himself, as though he were about to tell the funniest joke in existence but couldn't hold his laughter.

"What? What was the decree?! What!?"

"Stop! Stop it now, Mizuki!" Iruka's pleas fell on deaf ear, Mizuki too caught up in sick joy and Naruto too enraptured by what Mizuki had to say for either to hear him.

Mizuki smirked. "The decree… was that no one was to tell you what you really are. The demon fox, Kyuubi no Kitsune, trapped in human form!"

And Naruto ran.

He ran as fast as he could, as though he could out run the truth. For it was the truth. He could tell by the way Mizuki said it, the look in his eye's… and in Iruka-sensei's eyes. He ran in a desperate flight, mind racing as fast as his legs, attempting to think.

'No…it can't be true. It can't be! But… It makes sense… the glares…the beatings… my birthday… It… it make's sense.' Naruto stopped, breath coming in uneven gasps, flung the forbidden scroll to the ground and slide down a tree. 'It make's sense…'

'They'll never love me… the villagers. They'll never let me become Hokage… it's…hopeless.' This realization was the straw that broke the camel's back. Naruto hung back his head and howled his agony, screaming, gasping, and crying. Releasing twelve years of pent of spite and sadness. But it was too much. The flood of emotion that his break down brought up from the depths of his soul was too much for the poor boy.

Before his world went entirely dark and he slide into unconsciousness, Naruto could have sworn that he heard a voice. A dark voice in the back of his head whispering, _**"Soon."**_

0o0o0o0

'Where am I?' Naruto asked himself some unknown length of time later. 'Sure as hell isn't the forest…' Around Naruto were pipe-covered walls, the floor of the hallway flooded with water up to his shins.

Naruto sat there in the water for quite sometime before giving a sigh and struggling to his feet. "Guess there's nowhere to go but forward," he muttered, setting off down the watery hallway.

After several minutes of walking, Naruto finally found the end of the hall. The passage, which had seemingly stretched on forever, led into a large, open room filled with darkness. Hesitantly, Naruto stepped out.

"Hello?" he called out to the shadows. He hadn't expected an answer, and he hadn't gotten one. Taking a hesitant step forward, he called out again. "Hello? Is there anyone there?" He continued to walk and call out to the darkness, until; finally, he spotted a soft red light in the distance. As he approached, he called out once more. "Is there anyone there? Hello!"

Silence greeted him. With a sigh, Naruto turned around to walk away and- **"Well if it isn't my container. What brings you here, mortal?" **Naruto froze. Behind him, the red light had intensified, dispatching the shadows around him. Slowly, and with a growing dread, the blonde turned to face the source of the demonic voice.

"**What? Shocked by my greatness? It's fine, take your time; I'm used to people staring in awe." **Before him stood the great Kyuubi no Kitsune, the demon fox, terror of Konoha and killer of the Yondaime Hokage. It stood taller than the Hokage monument, 9 tails swishing lazily behind it, as it's large, toothy mouth was split in a lupine grin. It stood there calmly, glancing at Naruto briefly before returning its attention to… its claws?

Naruto stared a while before curiosity over came his initial fear. "Um, Kyuubi-san?" **"Hmm?" **The great fox looked up from its nails, once more regarding Naruto with apathy. "**Yes, what is it?" **"Excuse me but, um, are you… cleaning your nails?"

Yes, the great and fearsome Kyuubi was cleaning its nails, nipping the ends off to shorten them, and polishing them on its orange fur. They were long, curved claws, black as pitch and deadlier than a spear, but they looked so… clean.

The Kyuubi tilted its head to side. "**Yes, and? What of it, mortal? Just because your Hokage imprisoned me within **_**you **_**means that I can't be concerned with my appearance?" **Had there been any present, then the glare the Kyuubi released on poor little Naruto would have been the death of many a small furry creature.

Naruto broke into a sweat, frantically shaking his head in an attempt to pacify the offended demon. "Nonono! That's not it! I was just… surprised, that's all! I mean, I didn't expect the great Kyuubi to have such… beautiful… nails?" The statement ended as a question, as Naruto sat unsure as to weather the demon would calm under his praise. However, he had nothing to worry about as the Kyuubi… blushed?

"Yes, they are beautiful, aren't they? They are as beautiful as they are… deadly." With lightning swiftness, one of the Kyuubi's claws darted forward, halting hardly half an inch in front of the frozen Jinchuuriki. "Now…" spoke the demon in a quiet voice that scared Naruto far more than the battle cry of a thousand warriors. "What business does my jailer have in _my_ domain?"

The Kyuubi's 'jailor' sat frozen in fear, breath coming in large, spastic huffs. **"**_**Well?"**_ "I… I don't know. I passed out and when I woke up, I was here." The Kyuubi stood, eyes set in a glare at the blonde who sat, still paralyzed in fear. **'Hmm, it must have been **_**Him.' **_

The great beast continued to stare at the boy before letting loose a rather high-pitched chuckle. **"You know, you're rather adorable for a human." **A frown (or as close as a fox could get) crossed Kyuubi's face. **"Other than that dreadful orange jumpsuit of course." **"Um, excuse-" **"SILENCE!" **Naruto quickly slammed his mouth shut. **"I'm tired now. And you **_**will **_**leave my domain. Besides, the one who called you here is over there." **The fox nodded its great head off into the corner of the room still blanketed in darkness. "**Now leave me be." **Without another word, the Kyuubi turned its back to the child, curled up, and fell asleep.

Slowly, Naruto stood and walked off towards the darkness. 'What the hell was that all about. Don't tell me that the Kyuubi is…. A girl!' Naruto deadpanned and stared back at the cage. Now that he thought about it, he saw little details that gave it away. The nails, of course, but the chuckle that the demon had let out before calling him 'adorable' as well. And in the cage… 'Oh please no… don't tell me…!' The Kyuubi lay curled up on a pile of large, fluffy and _pink _pillows, her legs and tails twitching in a dream.

Naruto stared at the Kyuubi… and stared. And stared. Finally, his hand shot up and slapped him across the face, snapping him out of it. 'Whatever, I'll deal with this later. For now…'

Slowly, he approached the all-consuming darkness that lay in the corner farthest from the great Kyuubi. Hesitantly, he stuck his hand into the dark cloud, watching as it disappeared before his eyes. Shuddering he pulled it back. 'Well that's just creepy.' "_**Naruto." **_"Who the hell?" Naruto glanced around. No one. He peered into the darkness. No on- wait, did something move?

"_**Come here, Naruto."**_Slowly, Naruto stepped into the darkness. _**"Yes, that's it, just a few more steps." **_Naruto took another hesitant step forward. _**"One more Naruto. Just one. More." **_"Who are you?" asked Naruto, eyes forward towards the darkness. "_**Who am I, dear Naruto? Why, I'm hurt that you don't remember me." **_A dark chuckle escaped from the shadows. "_**I suppose that you could call me your… bloodline limit, yeees?" **_

Naruto's eyes opened in shock. "My bloodline limit? Like… like that Sasuke bastard has that sharingan thing everyone talks about?" Another dark chuckle. _**"Yes Naruto, just like him. But I can make you stronger than he." **_"You can make me stronger?" _**"Yes Naruto, much, **_**much, stronger." **Naruto took a step back, unsure of what to do. "I don't know…"

A low growl bubbled forth from the darkness before morphing into a gurgling laugh. _**"Little boy… have you forgotten dear Iruka?" **_The sky blue eyes of the jinchuruki opened in shock at the memory of his teacher being attacked by Mizuki. "_**Poor, poor Iruka-sensei. Why did he have to die?" **_A face formed in the darkness. Black hair tied in a ponytail, scar across the nose- "Iruka-sensei!"

The image of Iruka's face stared out of the darkness towards Naruto. "Why did you let me die Naruto? Why didn't you come back?" Tears sprung from the young boy. "I… I was afraid that you hated me." The face didn't appear to hear him.

"Why Naruto? Why didn't you save me?" Slowly, the face began to melt into the shadows. "Iruka-sensei!" Tears fell down Naruto's face. "Why…" murmured the shadowy representation of Iruka as it finally bled away, leaving only the whisper of its final word behind. "Why?"

In tears, Naruto collapsed to the floor, eyes closed. "Iruka-sensei..." he muttered, a fresh wave of tears bursting from his eyes. Hands embraced him in the darkness, patting his hair, rocking him back and forth, hugging him. "_**Poor Naruto… don't worry, he isn't dead quite yet." **_With a gasp, Naruto whipped up his head and stared into the darkness, ignoring the fact that no trace of the hands that had so warmly caressed him remained.

"Wh-what do you mean?" _**"Do you want to save your sensei?" **_questioned the darkness, ignoring the boy's question. "Yes!" _**"Do you want the power to rescue him from death?" **_"Yes! I'll-I'll do anything." A dark chuckle came from the darkness before evolving into a hysterical laugh that echoed within Naruto's core. _**"Well then, step forward Naruto. And I shall give you the power to save that man!"**_

Naruto stood, determination in his eyes, and took one. Two steps forward, the darkness finally engulfing him. Body, and soul.

0o0o0o0

The Kyuubi cracked open one of her crimson eyes, staring hard into the corner dominated by the Other. '**Hmm…' **she muttered, looking on in quite contemplation. "**Looks like things are about to get… interesting in here."**

With a shrug of her massive shoulders, the vixen snuggled deeper into her mountain of pillows, closed her eyes, and fell into a dreamless sleep.

0o0o0o0

Iruka screamed in pain as Mizuki stabbed yet another kunai into his arm, the traitorous nin laughing at his former colleague agony. Still chuckling, the nin stood and regarded Iruka.

"Well Iruka old friend, I believe that it's about time for me to go and hunt down the demon brat." Gasping, Iruka sat up against a tree. "You're wrong," he muttered. "Naruto isn't a demon. He's a citizen of the leaf!" Iruka's yell ended in a hacking cough that sent blood spilling from his lips. Taking a shuddering breath, he continued. "And as a citizen of the leaf, he will _never _give-" "Shut up!" Mizuki whipped out a leg, kicking the already wounded man in the ribs, sending him flying across the clearing.

"I'm tired of this. If I don't hurry up, then that damned brat may get away, or hell, the ANBU may show up! So, without further ado…" Mizuki grabbed one of the giant shuriken on his back, spinning it around in his hand. "It's time for some death!"

Blood sprayed as the attack made contact, the shuriken Mizuki had previously grasped flying upwards in an ark until it made contact with a tree, sticking there. Iruka stared, eyes glazed, mouth open. And Mizuki…

Mizuki scram in pain, grasping the stump of an arm that had previously been holding the shuriken, which had veered and missed its target. His blood sprayed forth from the severed limb as he howled in agony and fear. Yes, Naruto's attack had done quite the number on his former sensei, caus- wait, Naruto's attack?

Yes, Naruto's. The blonde stood quietly on the branch of a tree, eyes covered in shadows. He slowly lifted his head, staring with hatred towards the screaming nuke-nin with eyes colored pure gold. "Don't. Touch. Iruka-sensei." With a gesture of his hand, he recalled the snake-like body that had stretched out from the mass of tentacles on his back, gently petting its head as it breathed in the shadows around him, the glowing tattoos etched into the side of it's body.

"De-demon!" snarled Mizuki, knees shaking in fear. "Wha-what are you! What is that?!" Naruto tilted his head to the side. "Do you mean this?" Naruto raised his hand, the snake like entity curling around it before resting its skull in his palm. "This is my creeper." Mizuki stumbled back, not understanding. "Creeper? What in the hell-" "Didn't you say it was time for some death?"

Mizuki's eyes widened in fear, mouth opening and closing as his mind worked to understand the words. "Wait… no. No! Wai-" "Get him." The creeper's face split into a grin as it raced forwards across the ground, hovering over the teacher as he cowered in fear. "Please… don't-" He never got to plead for his sorry excuse for a life as the creeper dove for his chest, ripping through his ribcage and grasping his heart, yanking it out and returning with it to Naruto.

With a frown, Naruto watched as the creeper devoured the heart, purring in satisfaction as the muscle slid down its throat. 'What in the hell was that?' _**"That, Naruto, is how you will gain power. You must devour the hearts of those who contain darkness in their soul, adding their darkness, to yours." **_Naruto nodded, before withdrawing the darkness into himself, just as his bloodline had told him to.

This line of thought brought a question to his mind. 'Wait! What do I call you?" The gurgling chuckle that had begun to become so familiar to him echoed trough his mind. "_**You may call me simply the Darkness, dear Naruto. Now, why don't you hurry along and save your friend? Can't have all this work go to waste, now can we?" **_

Naruto's now blue eyes snapped wide open as he recalled his teacher's plight. "Iruka-sensei!" he jumped from the branch, landing nimbly beside the cut up form of his one true friend and teacher. "Iruka-sensei, wake up!" Slowly, the unconscious chunin returned to the world of the living, setting his eyes upon his favorite blonde-haired student.

"Na-Naruto!" The jinchuruki grinned as his sensei spoke. "Iruka-sensei!" he lunged forward, grabbing the nin in a hug. "Ow, ow Naruto, that hurts!" "Sorry Iruka-sensei, Its just… I'm just happy that you're still alive." Tears spilled down Naruto's face as he gently lung to his sensei. "What happened to Mizuki?"

Naruto slowly turned his head away towards the area where Mizuki's corpse lay, hidden by the trees. "I beat him with Kage bushin and he ran away. I don't know what happened to him." It hurt to lie to his sensei, but what else could he say? That he had killed him?

Iruka bought it, however. With a smile, he said, "Hey, Naruto? Close your eyes, ok?" "My eyes? Alright." Naruto heard the sound of rustling, and then felt something being tied across his forehead. Something clothe, with something heavy on the front.

"Ok, open your eyes… graduate!" Naruto opened his eyes, slowly lifting his hand to grasp the Konoha headband. "Well? What do you think?" Asked Iruka, glancing at Naruto expectantly. Naruto bowed his head, tears dripping down his face, ignoring his sensei's question. "Naruto?"

"Thank you sensei!" "Ow, Naruto I told you that hurts!" "Sorry sensei, I just can't help it!" "Ow!"

Laughter echoed through the clearing, the boy and his teacher filled with happiness at the knowledge that the other was fine. But deep within Naruto, within the confines of his soul, the Darkness lay, chuckling at Naruto's happiness. _**"Enjoy it while you can, dear, sweet Naruto. Because very, very soon, you… will belong… to me." **_

0o0o0o0

A/N: Oooook, now, I FINALLY got this damn story updated XD. Sorry it took so long, again, I lost my computer, and, being the idiot that I am, I forgot my password. I managed to remember it today, cuz it's the first time that I've been sick in a LONG time, so I had some free time. Anyway, PLEASE tell me what you think, gimme some reviews etc. Ill be better when updating now (ill try at least X) So annnnyway, LATERZ!!

**P.S: Read and review!! **


	4. Important: Beta wanted blah blah blah

Um. Hey. Yea, been a while since I updated, but ya see, my computer crashed D. Go me. Had the chapter written almost, then my comp crashed, and I just recently got a new one, and I cant remember what in the world I wrote in the least. Lol.

Anyway, the basic thing Im trying to get to is: anyone interested in being a beta reader or something? Someone I can bounce ideas off of and who can read the chapters before I post em? Cuz I like the idea I got going, its just that im kinda burnt out from everything I got going on right now. So yea, if anyones interested, send me a message, and hopefully ill stop bein so lazy and get around to writing the new chapter XD. PEACE!!


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